October 16, 2026
“Many seek the ruler’s favor, but justice for man comes from the Lord.” Proverbs 29:26.
Ever since Zoran Mamdani won the New York City mayor’s race, candidates backed by the Democratic Socialists of America have been winning primaries across the country. In several cases, newcomer socialists have defeated long-standing Democratic incumbents. Now, politicians on both sides of the aisle are left wondering what happened.
It is no secret that the DSA are proposing radical changes to our structure of government. Their own platform calls for abolishing the Senate and moving to a single, expanded legislative chamber; abolishing the presidency as it currently exists and replacing it with a leader chosen by Congress, replacing the presidency with a leader chosen by Congress; eliminating the Electoral College; and placing the Supreme Court under Congressional control.
Why is this political shift gaining traction? Much of it stems from real economic frustration—skyrocketing prices for housing, healthcare, groceries, and student loans. While Americans disagree on how to solve these problems, we need to remind ourselves—and especially the next generation—why our original system of government was designed this way, and why it remains the best foundation for freedom and human flourishing.
Where do our rights come from?
If you asked someone where our human rights come from, they may struggle to give an answer. We often talk about our constitutional rights and individual liberties, but where did those rights originate? The Declaration of Independence gives us the answer:
“We hold the truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.”
Notice Thomas Jefferson’s key point: all men are created under the laws of nature, i.e., God. Because all people are created equal under God, no government holds natural authority over anyone else. The government only gains legitimate authority when "we the people" grant it permission to protect those God-given rights. We must “consent” to be governed.
The dangers of the DSA Platform.
The Democratic Socialist platform, however, flips this truth on its head. It replaces God with the state. When government becomes the giver of rights, a dangerous shift occurs:
First and foremost, the DSA policies cut against the religious fabric woven into our republic. The founders did not merely believe that government should be benevolent. They believed that government itself was subordinate to a higher authority. The Declaration of Independence does not say that government creates our rights, nor does it say that our rights exist because the majority has agreed to recognize them. It says that we are “endowed by [our] Creator” with rights, and that the government exists to secure those rights. Government is not God. It is an institution composed of human beings, and human beings are themselves accountable to a higher authority. The concern, then, with the DSA platform is not just the scope of changes they want to make, but that at the core of their philosophy is that the government becomes the giver of rights and entitlements. But, more dangerously, on the other side of that coin is that the government also becomes the taker of rights and entitlements. As Pastor Mark Driscoll pointed out on the matter, “Who sits at the top for you? God or government?”
Second, the practical implications of the DSA’s structural changes to government are not conducive to human flourishing or liberty. Simply put, we need a system of checks and balances. Our founders built a system with three distinct branches and a two-chamber Congress specifically to prevent “majority rule,” what Federalist No. 10 called majority factions. Human beings are easily driven by temporary passion and self-interest, and that self-interest can benefit a majority by encroaching on the interests of the minority. The Senate was established so that impulsive, passionate political moments could, as Federalist No. 62 notes, be “given time to cool” and so that imperfections in ideas are thought out for the long-term interests of the common good. No doubt, as James Madison writes, the Senate is a body that acts as “a defense to the people against their own temporary errors and delusions.”
This in no way means that democracy is a bad thing . . . far from it. We need more democracy. But total, unchecked power, like the DSA is wanting, governed simply by majority rule becomes an untamable beast that can encroach on the long-term interests of the public. Moreover, having an executive and judicial branch that is at the whim of a unicameral legislature removes all checks and balances and becomes a system of tyranny.
Simply put, our system of government is the freest and most conducive to human flourishing and ordered liberty. As Isaiah 33:22 points out, “the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the lord is our king; he will save us.” Indeed, our system of government represents these three attributes of God, and while, from time to time, our political system can be frustrating, we must remember the founding biblical ideals that formed this nation.
How should Christians respond?
We must pray for our elected leaders. As Paul tells us in 1 Timothy 2:1-3, “I urge, then, first of all that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people–for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior . . .” Second, Christians should become informed and engage with citizens, especially young people. We must continually pray for the next generation and teach the principles that God is who we look to for our rights, not the government, and that the political power is vested in the people of the United States, not an unchecked unicameral body. Lastly, we should be diligent, courageous citizens in defending what is true, and willing to participate in the political process without placing our ultimate hope in it. We should pray for our leaders, pursue truth, love our neighbors, and faithfully exercise whatever responsibilities God has given us.
The Christian's hope, ultimately, cannot rest in the Senate, the presidency, the Supreme Court, or any political philosophy. These institutions matter, but, as the founders recognized, they are not eternal.
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